Methods and systems for upgrading hydrocarbon

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems for upgrading hydrocarbon material, including bituminous material such as tar sands. A hydrocarbon material and a cracking material can be injected into separate injection ports of a nozzle reactor to produce a hydrocarbon product. The hydrocarbon product can be injected directly into a coker so that heavy hydrocarbon compounds can be upgraded into lighter hydrocarbon compounds, or the hydrocarbon product can first be injected into a separation vessel to separate hydrocarbons having higher boiling point temperature from hydrocarbons having lower boiling point temperature. The hydrocarbons having higher boiling point temperature can then be injected into a coker.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nozzle reactors can be used to upgrade hydrocarbon material, including bituminous material such as tar sands. Some embodiments of the nozzle reactors described in the aforementioned patent applications and issued patents generally include a cracking material injection port and a feed material injection port. The cracking material injection port is designed to accelerate cracking material to a supersonic speed. Additionally, the cracking material injection port is configured so as to be aligned transverse to the feed material injection port. When the cracking material (e.g., steam) and the feed material are injected into the reaction chamber of the nozzle reactor, the two materials interact in such a way as to cause the cracking and upgrading of the hydrocarbon material.

However, some embodiments of the nozzle reactors described above do not crack all of the feed material injected into the nozzle reactor. As a result, some of the hydrocarbon material leaving the nozzle reactor has a boiling point temperature of greater than 1,050° F. and is considered pitch. This pitch material is difficult to process and less valuable then the cracked hydrocarbon material. Accordingly, the some embodiments of the above described nozzle reactors have a shortcoming of not cracking all hydrocarbon material injected into the nozzle reactor and outputting pitch material that is not a desirable end product of the nozzle reactor process.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed below are representative embodiments that are not intended to be limiting in any way. Instead, the present disclosure is directed toward features, aspects, and equivalents of the embodiments of the nozzle reactor and method of use described below. The disclosed features and aspects of the embodiments can be used alone or in various combinations and sub-combinations with one another.

In some embodiments, a hydrocarbon upgrading system is described. The hydrocarbon upgrading system includes a nozzle reactor and a coker. The hydrocarbon product outlet of the nozzle reactor can be in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon product inlet of the coker so that hydrocarbon material exiting the nozzle reactor can be transported directly to the coker. The coker works to crack and upgrade the heaviest hydrocarbons included in the hydrocarbon product leaving the nozzle reactor, including the pitch material. The nozzle reactor included in the system can include nozzle reactors similar or identical to nozzle reactors described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,618,597; U.S. Pat. No. 7,927,565; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/579,193; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/816,844; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/227,470.

In some embodiments, the system also includes a separation vessel located intermediate the nozzle reactor and the coker. In such embodiments, the hydrocarbon product leaving the nozzle reactor can be introduced into the separation vessel to separate light hydrocarbons from heavy hydrocarbons. The heavy hydrocarbons are subsequently sent to the coke for upgrading. In some embodiments, the separation vessel is part of the multiple pieces of equipment that make up the coker, such a delayed coker system which can include a fractionator.

In some embodiments, a method for upgrading hydrocarbon material is described. The method generally includes the steps of injecting hydrocarbon material into a feed injection port of a nozzle reactor, injecting a cracking material into a cracking material injection port of a nozzle reactor, collecting hydrocarbon product exiting the nozzle reactor, and injecting the hydrocarbon product into a coker. The nozzle reactor used in the method can include nozzle reactors similar or identical to nozzle reactors described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,618,597; U.S. Pat. No. 7,927,565; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/579,193; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/816,844; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/227,470.

In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon upgrading method includes one or more separation steps performed after collecting the hydrocarbon product but before injecting the hydrocarbon product into a coker. The separation steps can include injecting the hydrocarbon product from the nozzle reactor into a separation vessel, separating residual hydrocarbon from the hydrocarbon product, and injecting the residual hydrocarbon stream into the coker.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying figures. It is thus to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims as issued and not by whether a claim includes any or all features or advantages recited in this Brief Summary of the Invention or addresses any issue identified in the Background of the Invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The preferred and other embodiments are disclosed in association with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of some embodiments of a hydrocarbon upgrading method described herein;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of some embodiments of a nozzle reactor described herein;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the top portion of the nozzle reactor shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional perspective view of the mixing chamber in the nozzle reactor shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional perspective view of the distributor from the nozzle reactor shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of some embodiments of a nozzle reactor described herein;

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the top portion of the nozzle reactor shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 a illustrates embodiments of a system suitable for use in carrying out embodiments of the hydrocarbon upgrading method described herein;

FIG. 8 b illustrates embodiments of a system suitable for use in carrying out embodiments of the hydrocarbon upgrading method described herein; and

FIG. 9 illustrates embodiments of a system suitable for use in carrying out embodiments of the hydrocarbon upgrading method described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1, some embodiments of a method for upgrading hydrocarbon material generally include a step 1000 of injecting hydrocarbon material into a feed injection port of a nozzle reactor, a step 1100 of injecting a cracking material into a cracking material injection port of the nozzle reactor, a step 1200 of collecting hydrocarbon product exiting the nozzle reactor, a step 1300 of injecting the hydrocarbon product into a separation vessel and separating a residual hydrocarbon stream from the hydrocarbon product, and a step 1400 of injecting the residual hydrocarbon stream into a coker. This method provides a manner for upgrading the heavy hydrocarbon that passes through the nozzle reactor uncracked and would otherwise be a commercially undesirable product of the nozzle reactor. By providing a manner to crack this material, the efficiency and profitability of the system is increased and the overall cost and complexity of the system may be decreased by doing away with additional processing equipment needed for handling pitch material produced by the nozzle reactor, including requiring a recycle stream for injecting the pitch material back into the nozzle reactor.

In steps 1000 and 1100, the feed material and cracking material may be injected into the nozzle reactor via their respective injection ports. The aim of injecting the two materials into the nozzle reactor is to cause the two materials to interact in the reaction chamber of the nozzle reactor and result in the cracking of the feed material.

In some embodiments, the feed material injected in step 1000 may be a hydrocarbon material, such as a hydrocarbon material including hydrocarbons in need of cracking to produce lower boiling point hydrocarbons that are generally more commercially valuable than higher boiling hydrocarbons. While the hydrocarbon material can include non-hydrocarbon material, such material is generally less than 10 wt % of the overall material. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon material may be tar sands or material extracted from tar sands. For example, in some embodiments, the hydrocarbon material may be bitumen material obtained from processing tar sands. The tar sands processing used to extract bitumen can include solvent extraction techniques, such as solvent extraction technique described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,909,989. In some embodiments, the injected hydrocarbon material is the residue obtained from subjecting heavy crude to separation processing, such as in an atmospheric or vacuum tower. Accordingly, in some embodiments, an atmospheric or vacuum tower may be located upstream of the nozzle reactor and may be used to provide the residue that will serve as the hydrocarbon material injected into the nozzle reactor.

Generally speaking, any material capable of being injected into a nozzle reactor for the purpose of cracking feed material can be used in step 1100. In some embodiments, the cracking material is steam. Other suitable cracking materials include natural gas, methanol, ethanol, ethane, propane, biodiesel, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, or combinations thereof.

Any nozzle reactor suitable for use in upgrading hydrocarbon material can be used to carry out the method described herein. In some embodiments, the nozzle reactor includes a feed material injection port that is aligned transverse to the cracking material injection port so that the two materials enter the reaction chamber of the nozzle reactor in perpendicular directions. The nozzle reactor can also include a cracking material injection port capable of accelerating the cracking material to supersonic speed prior to entering the reaction chamber. Nozzle reactors fitting this description are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,618,597; U.S. Pat. No. 7,927,565; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/579,193; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/816,844; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/227,470.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show cross-sectional views of one embodiment of a nozzle reactor 100 suitable for use in the methods described herein. The nozzle reactor 100 includes a head portion 102 coupled to a body portion 104. A main passage 106 extends through both the head portion 102 and the body portion 104. The head and body portions 102, 104 are coupled together so that the central axes of the main passage 106 in each portion 102, 104 are coaxial so that the main passage 106 extends straight through the nozzle reactor 100.

It should be noted that for purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate member being attached to one another. Such joining may be permanent in nature or alternatively may be removable or releasable in nature.

The nozzle reactor 100 includes a feed passage 108 that is in fluid communication with the main passage 106. The feed passage 108 intersects the main passage 106 at a location between the portions 102, 104. The main passage 106 includes an entry opening 110 at the top of the head portion 102 and an exit opening 112 at the bottom of the body portion 104. The feed passage 108 also includes an entry opening 114 on the side of the body portion 104 and an exit opening 116 that is located where the feed passage 108 meets the main passage 106.

During operation, the nozzle reactor 100 includes a reacting fluid that flows through the main passage 106. The reacting fluid enters through the entry opening 110, travels the length of the main passage 106, and exits the nozzle reactor 100 out of the exit opening 112. A feed material flows through the feed passage 108. The feed material enters through the entry opening 114, travels through the feed passage 106, and exits into the main passage 108 at exit opening 116.

The main passage 106 is shaped to accelerate the reacting fluid. The main passage 106 may have any suitable geometry that is capable of doing this. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the main passage 106 includes a first region having a convergent section 120 (also referred to herein as a contraction section), a throat 122, and a divergent section 124 (also referred to herein as an expansion section). The first region is in the head portion 102 of the nozzle reactor 100.

The convergent section 120 is where the main passage 106 narrows from a wide diameter to a smaller diameter, and the divergent section 124 is where the main passage 106 expands from a smaller diameter to a larger diameter. The throat 122 is the narrowest point of the main passage 106 between the convergent section 120 and the divergent section 124. When viewed from the side, the main passage 106 appears to be pinched in the middle, making a carefully balanced, asymmetric hourglass-like shape. This configuration is commonly referred to as a convergent-divergent nozzle or “con-di nozzle”.

The convergent section of the main passage 106 accelerates subsonic fluids since the mass flow rate is constant and the material must accelerate to pass through the smaller opening. The flow will reach sonic velocity or Mach 1 at the throat 122 provided that the pressure ratio is high enough. In this situation, the main passage 106 is said to be in a choked flow condition.

Increasing the pressure ratio further does not increase the Mach number at the throat 122 beyond unity. However, the flow downstream from the throat 122 is free to expand and can reach supersonic velocities. It should be noted that Mach 1 can be a very high speed for a hot fluid since the speed of sound varies as the square root of absolute temperature. Thus the speed reached at the throat 122 can be far higher than the speed of sound at sea level.

The divergent section 124 of the main passage 106 slows subsonic fluids, but accelerates sonic or supersonic fluids. A convergent-divergent geometry can therefore accelerate fluids in a choked flow condition to supersonic speeds. The convergent-divergent geometry can be used to accelerate the hot, pressurized reacting fluid to supersonic speeds, and upon expansion, to shape the exhaust flow so that the heat energy propelling the flow is maximally converted into kinetic energy.

The flow rate of the reacting fluid through the convergent-divergent nozzle is isentropic (fluid entropy is nearly constant). At subsonic flow the fluid is compressible so that sound, a small pressure wave, can propagate through it. At the throat 122, where the cross sectional area is a minimum, the fluid velocity locally becomes sonic (Mach number=1.0). As the cross sectional area increases the gas begins to expand and the gas flow increases to supersonic velocities where a sound wave cannot propagate backwards through the fluid as viewed in the frame of reference of the nozzle (Mach number>1.0).

The main passage 106 only reaches a choked flow condition at the throat 122 if the pressure and mass flow rate is sufficient to reach sonic speeds, otherwise supersonic flow is not achieved and the main passage will act as a venturi tube. In order to achieve supersonic flow, the entry pressure to the nozzle reactor 100 should be significantly above ambient pressure.

The pressure of the fluid at the exit of the divergent section 124 of the main passage 106 can be low, but should not be too low. The exit pressure can be significantly below ambient pressure since pressure cannot travel upstream through the supersonic flow. However, if the pressure is too far below ambient, then the flow will cease to be supersonic or the flow will separate within the divergent section 124 of the main passage 106 forming an unstable jet that “flops” around and damages the main passage 106. In one embodiment, the ambient pressure is no higher than approximately 2-3 times the pressure in the supersonic gas at the exit.

The supersonic reacting fluid collides and mixes with the feed material in the nozzle reactor 100 to produce the desired reaction. The high speeds involved and the resulting collision produces a significant amount of kinetic energy that helps facilitate the desired reaction. The reacting fluid and/or the feed material may also be pre-heated to provide additional thermal energy to react the materials.

The nozzle reactor 100 may be configured to accelerate the reacting fluid to at least approximately Mach 1, at least approximately Mach 1.5, or, desirably, at least approximately Mach 2. The nozzle reactor may also be configured to accelerate the reacting fluid to approximately Mach 1 to approximately Mach 7, approximately Mach 1.5 to approximately Mach 6, or, desirably, approximately Mach 2 to approximately Mach 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, the main passage 106 has a circular cross-section and opposing converging side walls 126, 128. The side walls 126, 128 curve inwardly toward the central axis of the main passage 106. The side walls 126, 128 form the convergent section 120 of the main passage 106 and accelerate the reacting fluid as described above.

The main passage 106 also includes opposing diverging side walls 130, 132. The side walls 130, 132 curve outwardly (when viewed in the direction of flow) away from the central axis of the main passage 106. The side walls 130, 132 form the divergent section 124 of the main passage 106 that allows the sonic fluid to expand and reach supersonic velocities.

The side walls 126, 128, 130, 132 of the main passage 106 provide uniform axial acceleration of the reacting fluid with minimal radial acceleration. The side walls 126, 128, 130, 132 may also have a smooth surface or finish with an absence of sharp edges that may disrupt the flow. The configuration of the side walls 126, 128, 130, 132 renders the main passage 106 substantially isentropic.

The feed passage 108 extends from the exterior of the body portion 104 to an annular chamber 134 formed by head and body portions 102, 104. The portions 102, 104 each have an opposing cavity so that when they are coupled together the cavities combine to form the annular chamber 134. A seal 136 is positioned along the outer circumference of the annular chamber 134 to prevent the feed material from leaking through the space between the head and body portions 102, 104.

It should be appreciated that the head and body portions 102, 104 may be coupled together in any suitable manner. Regardless of the method or devices used, the head and body portions 102, 104 should be coupled together in a way that prevents the feed material from leaking and withstands the forces generated in the interior. In one embodiment, the portions 102, 104 are coupled together using bolts that extend through holes in the outer flanges of the portions 102, 104.

The nozzle reactor 100 includes a distributor 140 positioned between the head and body portions 102, 104. The distributor 140 prevents the feed material from flowing directly from the opening 141 of the feed passage 108 to the main passage 106. Instead, the distributor 140 annularly and uniformly distributes the feed material into contact with the reacting fluid flowing in the main passage 106.

As shown in FIG. 5, the distributor 140 includes an outer circular wall 148 that extends between the head and body portions 102, 104 and forms the inner boundary of the annular chamber 134. A seal or gasket may be provided at the interface between the distributor 140 and the head and body portions 102, 104 to prevent feed material from leaking around the edges.

The distributor 140 includes a plurality of holes 144 that extend through the outer wall 148 and into an interior chamber 146. The holes 144 are evenly spaced around the outside of the distributor 140 to provide even flow into the interior chamber 146. The interior chamber 146 is where the main passage 106 and the feed passage 108 meet and the feed material comes into contact with the supersonic reacting fluid.

The distributor 140 is thus configured to inject the feed material at about a 90° angle to the axis of travel of the reacting fluid in the main passage 106 around the entire circumference of the reacting fluid. The feed material thus forms an annulus of flow that extends toward the main passage 106. The number and size of the holes 144 are selected to provide a pressure drop across the distributor 140 that ensures that the flow through each hole 144 is approximately the same. In one embodiment, the pressure drop across the distributor is at least approximately 2000 pascals, at least approximately 3000 pascals, or at least approximately 5000 pascals.

Referring back to FIG. 4, holes 144 are shown having a circular cross-section. Circular holes 144 are suitable for effective nozzle reactor operation when the nozzle reactor is relatively small and handling production capacities less than, e.g., 1,000 bbl/day. At such production capacities, the feed material passing through the circular holes will break up into the smaller droplet size necessary for efficient mixing or shearing with the reacting fluid.

As the size and production capacity of the nozzle reactor is increased, the diameter of the circular holes 144 also increases. As the diameter of the circular holes 144 increases with scale up of the nozzle reactor, the circular holes 144 eventually become too large for feed material traveling therethrough to exert sufficient inertial or shear forces on the circular holes 144. As a result, the feed material traveling through the holes 144 does not break up into the smaller droplets necessary for efficient mixing or shearing with the reacting fluid, and uniform distribution of the feed material is not achieved. Instead, the feed material passing through the circular holes 144 maintains a cone-like structure for a longer radial travel distance and impacts the reactive fluid in large droplets not conducive for intimate mixing with the reacting fluid. Non-uniform kinetic energy transfer from the reacting fluid to the large droplets of feed material results and the overall conversion efficiency of the reactor nozzle is reduced.

Accordingly, in some embodiments where larger nozzle reactors are used to handle higher production capacities (e.g., greater than 1,000 bbl/day), the injection holes 144 can have a non-circular cross-sectional shape. FIGS. 10-13 illustrate several non-circular shapes that can be used for injection holes 144. In FIG. 10, a cross-shaped injection hole is shown. In FIG. 11, a star-shaped injection hole is shown. In FIG. 12, a lobed-shaped injection hole is shown. In FIG. 13, a slotted-shaped injection hole is shown. Other non-circular shapes, such as rectangular, triangular, elliptical, trapezoidal, fish-eye, etc., not shown in the Figures can also be used.

In some embodiments, the cross-shaped injection hole is a preferred cross-sectional shape. The cross-shaped injection holes can extend the maximum oil flow capacity at a given conversion rate by at least 20 to 30% over circular injection holes having similar cross-sectional areas. With reference to FIG. 14, various dimensions of the cross-shaped injection hole are labeled, including r₀, r₁, r₂, and H. In some embodiments, the cross-shaped injection hole has dimensions according to the following ratios: r₀/r₁=1.2 to 2.0, preferably 1.5; H/r₀=3 to 4, preferably 3.5; and r₂/r₁=0.25 to 0.75, preferably 0.5.

Changing the aspect ratio of the non-circular injection holes along the major and/or minor axis can varying the level of shear or turbulence generated by the reacting fluid. Generally, elongated thin slots, or shapes having thinner cross sections and at the same time changing orientation of slots along the circumferential direction (such as cross or lobe shape) offer the highest level of shear along the axial and circumferential jet directions. This is generally due to generation of Helmholtz vortices along various axes. The individual vortices develop in pairs with counter rotating directions. The counter rotating vortices contribute to increased shearing of jet and entrainment of surrounding fluids.

The cross-sectional area of the non-circular injection holes is generally not limited. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of the non-circular injection holes is designed for required oil flow capacity for optimum conversion at a given oil supply pressure (e.g., 100 to 150 psig).

Any suitable manner for manufacturing the non-circular injection holes can be used. In some embodiments, the non-circular injection holes are cut using a water jet cutting process or Electro Discharge Machining (EDM). In some embodiments, the internal surfaces of the non-circular injection holes are smooth. The internal surfaces can be made smooth using any suitable techniques, including grinding, polishing, and lapping. Smooth internal surfaces can be preferred because they produce smaller droplets of feed material than when the internal surface of the injection hole is rough.

Other parameters that have been found to impact the size of the feed material droplets include the feed material pressure on the injection hole (increased pressure result in smaller droplet size), the viscosity of the feed material (lower viscosity feed material has smaller droplets), and the spray angle (smaller spray angles provide smaller droplets). Accordingly, one or more of these parameters can be adjusted in the nozzle reactor in order to produce the smaller feed material droplets that lead to better mixing with the reacting material.

One benefit of using non-circular injection holes 144 in larger nozzle reactors handling larger production capacities is that the non-circular injection holes can help to ensure that the core of the feed material jet breaks up into smaller particles over a relatively short radial travel distance.

The non-circular injection holes also help to generate streamwise and spanwise vortices. The interaction of the spanwise (Kelvin-Helmholtz) vortices with the streamwise vortices produce the high levels of mixing. These vortices form, intensify, and then break down, and the high turbulence resulting from the vortex breakdown improves the overall mixing process. Large-scale turbulence is generated along the sides of the injection holes, while small-scale turbulence is generated at the vortices.

Another benefit of using non-circular injection holes 144 is the improvement in entrainment efficiency. The entrainment of feed material in the reacting material at the area near the non-circular injection hole 144 can be four times higher than in a circular injection hole. Higher entrainment efficiency would allow more uniform and earlier mixing of feed material droplets with the reacting material. This would enable thermal and kinetic interaction between streams and result in breakup of larger molecules into smaller molecules.

Still another benefit of using the non-circular injection holes described above is the incremental increase in conversion of heavy residue hydrocarbons, such as 1050° F.+ hydrocarbon fractions. Other benefits include increasing the production capacity of a given nozzle reactor, providing a smaller foot print for installation, and reducing recycle volumes of unconverted residue.

Adjusting the cross-section shape of holes 144 in order to allow for scale up of the nozzle reactor without negatively impacting the performance of the nozzle reactor can be preferable to using multiple smaller nozzle reactors arranged in parallel. In the parallel nozzle reactors configuration, each nozzle reactor handles a small portion of overall production capacity and allows for the continued use of circular holes 144. However, while this method will maintain adequate mixing and conversion per nozzle reactor, it will also result in higher capital costs associated with nozzle reactors and the piping needed for feed distribution and collecting converted products.

In some embodiments, throat 122 and divergent section 124 of main passage 106 can also have a non-circular cross section, such as the cross shape, lobe shape, or slotted shape described in greater detail above with respect to injection holes 144. Cracking material is typically injected into the nozzle reactor through this portion of the main passage 106, and by providing a non-circular cross-sectional shape, similar benefits to those described above with respect to the non-circular injection holes 144 can be achieved for the cracking material. For example, increased turbulence of the cracking material and entrainment efficiency between the cracking material and the feed material can be achieved when throat 122 and divergent section 124 have a non-circular shape. As discussed in greater detail previous, increases in turbulence and entrainment efficiency can increase the conversion of large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller hydrocarbon molecules.

In some embodiments, the non-circular shape begins at the narrowest portion of the throat 122 and the non-circular shape continues the length of the divergent section 124 such that the ejection end of the divergent section 124 has the non-circular cross-section shape. The cross-sectional area in the divergent section become larger as the ejection end is approached, but the same cross-sectional shape can be maintained throughout the length of the divergent section 124. As with the injection holes 144, the interior surfaces of the throat 122 and divergent section 124 can have a smooth surface.

In some embodiments, a combination of circular and non-circular injection holes can be used within the same nozzle reactor. Any combination of circular and non-circular injection holes can be used. In some embodiments, the plurality of injection holes provided for the reacting fluid can include both circular and non-circular injection holes. In some embodiments, non-circular injection holes can be used for the reacting material while circular injection holes are used for the cracking fluid. In some embodiments, circular injection holes can be used for the reacting material while non-circular injection holes can be used for the cracking fluid.

The distributor 140 includes a wear ring 150 positioned immediately adjacent to and downstream of the location where the feed passage 108 meets the main passage 106. The collision of the reacting fluid and the feed material causes a lot of wear in this area. The wear ring is a physically separate component that is capable of being periodically removed and replaced.

As shown in FIG. 5, the distributor 140 includes an annular recess 152 that is sized to receive and support the wear ring 150. The wear ring 150 is coupled to the distributor 140 to prevent it from moving during operation. The wear ring 150 may be coupled to the distributor in any suitable manner. For example, the wear ring 150 may be welded or bolted to the distributor 140. If the wear ring 150 is welded to the distributor 140, as shown in FIG. 4, the wear ring 150 can be removed by grinding the weld off. In some embodiments, the weld or bolt need not protrude upward into the interior chamber 146 to a significant degree.

The wear ring 150 can be removed by separating the head portion 102 from the body portion 104. With the head portion 102 removed, the distributor 140 and/or the wear ring 150 are readily accessible. The user can remove and/or replace the wear ring 150 or the entire distributor 140, if necessary.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the main passage 106 expands after passing through the wear ring 150. This can be referred to as expansion area 160 (also referred to herein as an expansion chamber). The expansion area 160 is formed largely by the distributor 140, but can also be formed by the body portion 104.

Following the expansion area 160, the main passage 106 includes a second region having a converging-diverging shape. The second region is in the body portion 104 of the nozzle reactor 100. In this region, the main passage includes a convergent section 170 (also referred to herein as a contraction section), a throat 172, and a divergent section 174 (also referred to herein as an expansion section). The converging-diverging shape of the second region differs from that of the first region in that it is much larger. In one embodiment, the throat 172 is at least 2-5 times as large as the throat 122.

The second region provides additional mixing and residence time to react the reacting fluid and the feed material. The main passage 106 is configured to allow a portion of the reaction mixture to flow backward from the exit opening 112 along the outer wall 176 to the expansion area 160. The backflow then mixes with the stream of material exiting the distributor 140. This mixing action also helps drive the reaction to completion.

The dimensions of the nozzle reactor 100 can vary based on the amount of material that is fed through it. For example, at a flow rate of approximately 590 kg/hr, the distributor 140 can include sixteen holes 144 that are 3 mm in diameter. The dimensions of the various components of the nozzle reactor shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are not limited, and may generally be adjusted based on the amount of feed flow rate if desired. Table 1 provides exemplary dimensions for the various components of the nozzle reactor 100 based on a hydrocarbon feed input measured in barrels per day (BPD).

TABLE 1 Exemplary nozzle reactor specifications Feed Input (BPD) Nozzle Reactor Component (mm) 5,000 10,000 20,000 Main passage, converging region, entry 254 359 508 opening diameter Main passage, converging region, throat 75 106 150 diameter Main passage, converging region, exit opening 101 143 202 diameter Main passage, converging region, length 1129 1290 1612 Wear ring internal diameter 414 585 828 Main passage, diverging region, entry opening 308 436 616 diameter Main passage, diverging region, throat diameter 475 672 950 Main passage, diverging region, exit opening 949 1336 1898 diameter Nozzle reactor, body portion, outside diameter 1300 1830 2600 Nozzle reactor, overall length 7000 8000 10000

It should be appreciated that the nozzle reactor 100 can be configured in a variety of ways that are different than the specific design shown in the Figures. For example, the location of the openings 110, 112, 114, 116 may be placed in any of a number of different locations. Also, the nozzle reactor 100 may be made as an integral unit instead of comprising two or more portions 102, 104. Numerous other changes may be made to the nozzle reactor 100.

Turning to FIGS. 6 and 7, another embodiment of a nozzle reactor 200 is shown. This embodiment is similar in many ways to the nozzle reactor 100. Similar components are designated using the same reference number used to illustrate the nozzle reactor 100. The previous discussion of these components applies equally to the similar or same components includes as part of the nozzle reactor 200.

The nozzle reactor 200 differs a few ways from the nozzle reactor 100. The nozzle reactor 200 includes a distributor 240 that is formed as an integral part of the body portion 204. However, the wear ring 150 is still a physically separate component that can be removed and replaced. Also, the wear ring 150 depicted in FIG. 8 is coupled to the distributor 240 using bolts instead of by welding. It should be noted that the bolts are recessed in the top surface of the wear ring 150 to prevent them from interfering with the flow of the feed material.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, the head portion 102 and the body portion 104 are coupled together with a clamp 280. The seal, which can be metal or plastic, resembles a “T” shaped cross-section. The leg 282 of the “T” forms a rib that is held by the opposing faces of the head and body portions 102, 104. The two arms or lips 284 form seals that create an area of sealing surface with the inner surfaces 276 of the portions 102, 104. Internal pressure works to reinforce the seal.

The clamp 280 fits over outer flanges 286 of the head and body portions 102, 104. As the portions 102, 104 are drawn together by the clamp, the seal lips deflect against the inner surfaces 276 of the portions 102, 104. This deflection elastically loads the lips 284 against the inner surfaces 276 forming a self-energized seal. In one embodiment, the clamp is made by Grayloc Products, located in Houston, Tex.

When a nozzle reactor as shown in FIGS. 2 through 7 is used in the embodiments described herein, the hydrocarbon material can be introduced into the nozzle reactor via entry opening 114 of feed passage 108. The cracking material can be introduced into the nozzle reactor via entry opening 110 of main passage 106, at which point the cracking material is accelerated to supersonic speed so that it can interact with the injected hydrocarbon material and crack the hydrocarbon material.

In step 1200, the hydrocarbon product leaving the nozzle reactor can be collected. The hydrocarbon product collected will generally include hydrocarbon compounds having a wide range of boiling point temperatures. In some embodiments, hydrocarbons having a boiling point temperature in the range of from 100 to above 1,050° F. can be included in the hydrocarbon product. The low boiling point temperature hydrocarbons are the result of successful hydrocarbon cracking and/or the presence of low boiling point temperature hydrocarbons in the feed material. The high boiling point temperature hydrocarbons are the result of some hydrocarbons passing through the nozzle reactor uncracked or only minimally cracked. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon product will include hydrocarbons having a boiling temperature of greater than 1,050° F. Such hydrocarbons can be referred to as hydrocarbon pitch and/or hydrocarbon residue. In some embodiments, the pitch represents from 4 to 25 wt % of the hydrocarbon product. Such material is generally less commercially useful than lower boiling point temperature hydrocarbons.

In step 1300, the hydrocarbon product collected from the nozzle reactor can be injected into a separation vessel so that the light hydrocarbons can be separated from the heavy hydrocarbons. Any suitable separation vessel can be used. In some embodiments, the separation vessel can be a cyclone separator. In some embodiments, the separation vessel can be an atmospheric distillation tower or a vacuum distillation tower. Additionally, the separation vessel can include one or more separation vessels used in conjunction to effectively separate the heavy hydrocarbons from the light hydrocarbons. In some embodiments, the separation vessel can be part of the coker system used in step 1400, such as in a set up for a delayed coker, which includes a main fractionator to ensure that primarily heavy hydrocarbons enter the coker drums.

The separation vessel is generally used to separate hydrocarbons having a higher boiling point temperature from hydrocarbons having a lower boiling point temperature. Any boiling point temperature can be selected as the cut off for separating light hydrocarbon from heavy hydrocarbons, and the separation vessels used can be tailored to perform separations at the selected temperature. In some embodiments, the selected temperature is 850° F., or more preferably 1,050° F. When the cut off temperature is 1,050° F., the separation vessel works to separate most or all of the hydrocarbons having a boiling point above 1,050° F. from hydrocarbons having a boiling point temperature lower than 1,050° F. The stream of hydrocarbons having a boiling point temperature higher than 1,050° F. produced as a result of the separation step(s) can be referred to as pitch or residual hydrocarbons.

In some alternate embodiments, step 1300 can be eliminated from the hydrocarbon upgrading method, such that the entire stream of hydrocarbon product produced by the nozzle reactor can be sent into the coker, including both light and heavy hydrocarbons. Such embodiments can be useful for reducing the complexity and cost of the overall system, as these embodiments eliminate the need for some separation vessels. However, such embodiments may be less desirable, as the presence of light hydrocarbons in the coker system may reduce the effectiveness of the coker to crack the heavy hydrocarbons.

In some embodiments, the separation vessel receives both the products from the nozzle reactor and a separate hydrocarbon material feed. The separate hydrocarbon material can include, for example, heavy crude that has yet to be subjected to separation processing to separate light distillate products from the heavier residue hydrocarbon components. In such embodiments, the separation vessel separates the combination of the nozzle reactor product and the separate hydrocarbon material feed into a heavy hydrocarbon stream and a light hydrocarbon stream. Subsequently, the heavy hydrocarbon leaving the separation vessel (i.e., the pitch or residual hydrocarbon) can be split into two streams. The first stream of the residual hydrocarbons can be recycled back to the nozzle reactor and serves as a feed stream for the nozzle reactor (possibly in conjunction with other hydrocarbon feed material being injected into the nozzle reactor). The second stream of the residual hydrocarbons can be sent to the coker and is processed as described in greater detail below. Such configurations can be beneficial because they can eliminate the need for a separation vessel located upstream of the nozzle reactor that is used to separate, for example, heavy crude and provide a residue stream for injecting into the nozzle reactor. Instead, the separation vessel located downstream of the nozzle reactor can be used to separate both the nozzle reactor product and the heavy crude material that is the source of the residue injected into the nozzle reactor.

In step 1400, the hydrocarbon product or the residual hydrocarbon is injected into a coker so that the heavy hydrocarbons can be upgraded into lighter hydrocarbon compounds. The coker can generally receive the hydrocarbon stream including heavy hydrocarbon compounds and convert the heavy hydrocarbon compounds into lower molecular weight hydrocarbon. Cokers also generally produce petroleum coke as a byproduct of the upgrading process. Any coke produced by the coker can undergo further processing, such as by calcining in a rotary kiln. Any type of coker suitable for use in upgrading the hydrocarbon material can be used. In some embodiments, the coker is a delayed coker, a fluid coker, or a flexicoker.

In some embodiments, a process heater, such as a fired furnace, is provided upstream of the coker and is used to heat the heavy hydrocarbon to a desired temperature prior to being introduced into the coker.

Typical product that will be produced by processing the heavy hydrocarbon in the coker includes but is not limited to, heavy gas oil, light gas oil, naptha, and low molecular weight hydrocarbon gas (in addition to the coke mentioned above). These distillates can be blended with the distillates from the nozzle reactor or kept separate for further downstream processing.

FIG. 8 a illustrates a system that can be used to carry out the method described in greater detail above. The system generally includes a nozzle reactor 800, a separation vessel 810, and a coker 820. A stream of hydrocarbon material 801, which can include bitumen or a composition including bitumen, can be injected into the nozzle reactor 800. A cracking material 802, which can include steam, can also injected into the nozzle reactor 800. The two injected materials interact inside the reaction chamber of the nozzle reactor 800 and result in cracking a portion of hydrocarbons in the feed material. A hydrocarbon product 803 leaves the nozzle reactor 800 and can be passed to the separation vessel 810. The separation vessel 810 works to separate heavy hydrocarbons and light hydrocarbons, and can ultimately produce a heavy hydrocarbon stream 811 and a light hydrocarbon stream 812. The heavy hydrocarbon stream 811 will be sent to the coker 820 for further cracking of the heavy hydrocarbon compounds in the heavy hydrocarbon stream 811. In an alternative configuration (shown by the dashed line), the separation vessel can be bypassed and the hydrocarbon product 803 can be sent directly to the coker 820 for upgrading. The coker 820 produces a distillate products stream 821 and a petroleum coke stream 822.

With reference to FIG. 8 b, an alternate configuration for carrying out methods described herein. FIG. 8 b is similar to FIG. 8 a, with the exception that a second hydrocarbon material stream 801 a can be sent directly to the separator 810. The second hydrocarbon material stream 801 a can be, for example, heavy crude, and the separator 810 can be used to separate both the hydrocarbon product 803 and the second hydrocarbon material stream 801 a. FIG. 8 b also shows that the heavy hydrocarbon stream 811 leaving the separation vessel 810 can be split, so that a portion 811 a of the heavy hydrocarbon stream is recycled back to the nozzle reactor 800 for injection into the nozzle reactor 800 and an additional attempt at cracking the heavy hydrocarbon material in the nozzle reactor 800.

With reference to FIG. 9, embodiments of the method described herein can be carried out using a system including two or more nozzle reactors aligned in series. A stream of hydrocarbon material 801 can be injected into first nozzle reactor 800 a. A cracking material 802 a, which can include steam or natural gas, can also injected into the first nozzle reactor 800 a. A hydrocarbon product 803 a leaves the first nozzle reactor 800 a and can be passed to the separation vessel 810. The separation vessel 810 produces a heavy hydrocarbon stream 811 and a light hydrocarbon stream 812. The heavy hydrocarbon stream 811 can be split, so that a portion of the stream goes to the coker 820 and another portion 811 a of the heavy hydrocarbon stream goes to a second nozzle reactor 800 b. Alternatively, the portion 811 a may be further split and introduced into both the second reactor nozzle reactor 800 b and the first nozzle reactor 800 a. The heavy hydrocarbon injected into the second nozzle reactor 800 b interacts with cracking material 802 b injected into the second nozzle reactor 800 b, and hydrocarbon product 803 b is produced. The cracking material 802 b injected into the second nozzle reactor 800 b can be substantially identical in composition to the cracking material 802 a injected into the first nozzle reactor 800 a. The hydrocarbon product 803 b can be sent to the coker 820, where it combines with the heavy hydrocarbon stream 811 from the separation vessel 810 and may be treated in the coker 820 to produce a distillate products stream 821 and a petroleum coke stream 822.

While not shown in the Figures, embodiments of the method described herein can also be carried out using multiple nozzle reactors aligned in parallel. Each nozzle reactor operates as described above and as shown in FIG. 8 a or 8 b, with nozzle reactor product from each nozzle reactor being transported to a common separation vessel. The common separation vessel separates the combined nozzle reactor product into a light hydrocarbon stream and a residue stream, and the residue stream is transported to a common coker. If the residue leaving the common separation vessel is split into a recycle stream and a stream to be transported to the coker as shown in FIG. 8 b, the recycle stream can be split into a stream for each nozzle reactor in the parallel system. Alternatively, a separation vessel is provided for each nozzle reactor, and the residue from each separation vessel is combined and transported to a common coker. Any number of nozzle reactors aligned in parallel can be used in such a system, and the number of nozzle reactors in the system can be selected based on the capacity of each nozzle reactor and the amount of material to be treated. 

We claim:
 1. A hydrocarbon upgrading system comprising: a nozzle reactor having an hydrocarbon product outlet; a separation vessel having a hydrocarbon product inlet and a residual hydrocarbon outlet, wherein the hydrocarbon product outlet of the nozzle reactor is in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon product inlet of the separation vessel; and a coker having a residual hydrocarbon inlet and a cracked hydrocarbon outlet, wherein the residual hydrocarbon outlet of the separation vessel is in fluid communication with the residual hydrocarbon inlet of the coker.
 2. The hydrocarbon upgrading system as recited in claim 1, wherein the separation vessel comprises a vacuum distillation tower; an atmospheric distillation tower; or a separator cyclone.
 3. The hydrocarbon upgrading system as recited in claim 1, wherein the coker is a delayed coker, a fluid coker, or a flexicoker.
 4. A hydrocarbon upgrading system comprising: a nozzle reactor having an hydrocarbon product outlet; and a coker having a hydrocarbon product inlet and a cracked hydrocarbon outlet, wherein the hydrocarbon product outlet of the nozzle reactor is in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon inlet of the coker.
 5. The hydrocarbon upgrading system as recited in claim 4, wherein the coker is a delayed coker, a fluid coker, or a flexicoker.
 6. A method of upgrading hydrocarbon comprising: injecting hydrocarbon material into a feed injection port of a nozzle reactor; injecting a cracking material into a cracking material injection port of a nozzle reactor; collecting a hydrocarbon product exiting the nozzle reactor; injecting the hydrocarbon product into a separation vessel and separating a portion of the hydrocarbon product from a residual hydrocarbon stream; and injecting the residual hydrocarbon stream into a coker.
 7. The method of 6, wherein the hydrocarbon material comprises bituminous material.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the cracking material is injected into the nozzle reactor at a direction transverse to the direction in which hydrocarbon material is injected into the nozzle reactor.
 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the cracking material is accelerated to supersonic speed inside the nozzle reactor and prior to interacting with the hydrocarbon material.
 10. The method of claim 6, wherein the cracking material is steam.
 11. The method of claim 6, wherein the separation vessel is an atmospheric distillation tower, a vacuum distillation tower, or a cyclone separator.
 12. The method of claim 6, wherein the coker is a delayed coker, a fluid coker, or a flexicoker.
 13. The method of claim 6, wherein the residual hydrocarbon stream comprises predominantly hydrocarbons having a boiling point temperature above about 1,050° F.
 14. A method of upgrading hydrocarbon comprising: injecting hydrocarbon material into a feed injection port of a nozzle reactor; injecting a cracking material into a cracking material injection port of a nozzle reactor; collecting hydrocarbon product exiting the nozzle reactor; and injecting the hydrocarbon product into a coker.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the hydrocarbon material comprises bituminous material.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the cracking material is injected into the nozzle reactor at a direction transverse to the direction in which hydrocarbon material is injected into the nozzle reactor.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the cracking material is accelerated to supersonic speed inside the nozzle reactor and prior to interacting with the hydrocarbon material.
 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the cracking material is steam.
 19. The method of claim 14, wherein the coker is a delayed coker, a fluid coker, or a flexicoker.
 20. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of collecting an upgraded hydrocarbon material from the coker, wherein the upgraded hydrocarbon material comprises predominantly hydrocarbons having a boiling point temperature less than 1,050° F. 